Food writer Ruth Reichl coming to Bay Area

After delighting us with her memoirs — who can forget the descriptions of her mother’s cooking? — culinary writer (and former Berkeley-ite) Ruth Reichl is now making her fictional debut.

The former editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine will read from “Delicious!” (Random House, $27, 400 pages) and sign copies of the book this month in Pleasanton and Palo Alto. (If you can’t make those, there are also San Francisco and Corte Madera appearances.)

At 11 a.m. May 19 she will talk over tea and treats at a free event at Towne Center Books, 555 Main St., Pleasanton; make reservations by calling 925-846-8826 or emailing info@townecenterbooks.com.

At 6:30 p.m. May 20 she will appear at the Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley. That program will be at the Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. Tickets start at $20; call 800-847-7730 or order at www.commonwealth.org.